TWO inmates at a high-security prison could be moved to a women's jail after undergoing sex change operations.
An annual report by the Independent Monitoring Board reveals the two male prisoners at HMP Full Sutton, near Pocklington, have decided to live their lives as women and go under the knife.
The 2012 report reads: "There have been two prisoners who have exercised their legal right of choice and have requested the right to start on the path of changing gender."
Staff have received training and "necessary arrangements" have been put in place to support the unidentified prisoners.
Joan King, chair of the Gender Trust, a charity that supports people with gender identity issues, said the men should be treated for gender dysphoria.
She said: "If someone had a heart attack in jail, should we just stand by and say 'they deserve it'. I don't think that's right.
"Gender dysphoria is an illness, these prisoners haven't chosen to be like this. It's how they were born.
"We have letters come in from prisoners who are worried because they might not get the treatment while in jail.
"The transition does not happen overnight and it could take about five years to complete and differs for each individual.
"It can relieve a lot of mental stress."
The Mail understands prisoners are often segregated from other inmates during the transition and it is likely they will be moved to a women's jail.
Ms King said: "I can understand why some people may not agree with them being able to have the treatment on the NHS, but there are side-effects if they don't have it.
"The transgender community has one of the highest self-harm and suicide rates and we should be taking care of these people, even if they are in prison.
"Staff need to understand more about the condition and I have known of a few cases where they have gone through the transition in other jails.
"Often, when we receive calls, people are terrified of speaking out and it takes a lot for them to decide to have the operation."
A spokesman for the Department of Health said: "Decisions on patient treatment and services are taken at a local level by the NHS based on an individual clinical assessment."
Under the European Convention on Human Rights, prisoners have the right to receive the same range and quality of NHS treatments and services as anyone else.
The Prison Service said it could not comment on individual prisoners or whether the inmates would be transferred to a women's jail after their operations.
